An Unusual Fortune

I spent the weekend in Destin.  It was sunny and warm - not a cloud in the sky.  Well, there were a few on Saturday, but the sun was still out!  I had the fun of surprising my friend Toni for her birthday.  Her husband flew her in on Thursday night and we were waiting for her in the hotel lobby when she walked in.

I had so much fun with 3 girls who I hadn't seen in almost 5 years!  We stayed up late, late, late and slept till we woke up.  Since I was on Eastern Time, I was up earlier, so I read on the balcony overlooking the pool.  

Friday we spent the day at the pool.  We all had books, but I don't think any of us read a single word because we talked non-stop.  Friday night we went to see "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" followed by dinner at PF Changs.  

We were eating late, but couldn't pass up the Great Wall of Chocolate for Toni's birthday.  I think we left exactly 1/2 a layer on the plate because we were already so full.  My new favorite is the Dynomite Shrimp.  It is delish!  

As we left, we all got our usual fortune cookies.  My fortune said "you will soon move into a wonderful new home"!  What a stunning truth!  

Saturday we coaxed our friend Debra to the beach.  She really hates the sand and I think she spent most of the morning cleaning it out of her fingernails.  

BUT we were thrilled to have her along in spite of the grit.  Can you believe, out of the 4 of us, I was the only one to dip my toes in the water!?  It was extremely cold, but there were quite a few brave souls out there in the surf!  

We were on the beach for 6 hours non-stop.  It was breezy and warm.  I put my sunscreen to the test and continued to reapply. 

 It worked quite well, as I am only red in the spots that I missed.  Unfortunately for Beth and Toni, they were both a bit lobster-ish yesterday.

Saturday night we enjoyed dinner at Commander's Palace on the patio.  We had a great waiter to keep us entertained.  

My favorite was the bread pudding souffle' which Toni and I each enjoyed.  Beth had the 3-day Cheesecake, which was yummy!

My final day was eventful in the airport as we boarded and deplaned a few times while trying to work around tornadoes.  I was a bit delayed, but got home before midnight.  My wonderful husband greeted me with a smile at the door.  It was a terrific getaway that I will always remember with great fondness.  I think Toni was truly surprised to see me, which was fun.

Cole bounded out of bed this morning to tell me how excited he was yesterday because I was coming home.  I think they all had a great time with their dad.  On the way to school, Cole said it was one of the greatest weekends of his life.  I think it was one of mine, too!

Ramsey Cascades

My friend Laurel invited me to join her on a Wildflower Hike to Ramsey Cascades in April. 

 Below is part of the path bordered by Dwarf Crested Iris...

We joined a group for the day and made our way along the "strenuous" path to the 90 ft. waterfall.  The scenery was wonderful.  

We crossed several footbridges over the river and climbed from 2400 ft. to 4200 ft.  Half way up we came to a clearing with 3 gigantic Tulip Poplars.  They are over 7 ft. in diameter.  I look tiny compared to those trees!

We were amazed by the roots protruding from the ground in the Old Forest.  There were all sorts of ferns, columbine, violets, iris, and moss along the path.  

 The path was steep and rocky in some places - especially as we made our ascent to the top. 

 The last 1.5 miles were very steep and the final 200 ft. required us to climb large boulders to the rock ledge.  It was well worth it!  The view was amazing!

The hike down was a bit easier (after we got past the boulders).  The birds kept us company all day.  Plus, we saw one small chipmunk and a snake!

Aside from the falls, my favorite discovery was a tree that had fallen on it's side. 

 Where the roots had pulled up from the ground, wildflowers began to grow.  It's hard to see the flowers, but when looking straight on, it was a wall of flowers.

We had an enjoyable "1-day" vacation from our daily routine.  We were home by 4:00 - it was quite a workout!  8 miles in 4 hours, climbing almost 2000 ft.  Whew!  I was tired by the end of the trip but it was one I will never forget!  Oh, and by the way, I captured a few sights and sounds for you while I was there....